AFRICA-LIBYA - A consultative meeting of the African Union (AU) and word powers on Libya is seeking to develop a roadmap, including a transition period, to be agreed by warring parties in the North African state, AU Chief, Jean Ping, said. The meeting, called by the AU and attended by Russia, China, US and France, opened in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, Friday. The AU also invited Libyan government and the National Transitional Congress (TNC) to the meeting. Ping said Thursday that the Libyan leader, Mouammar Kadhafi, accepted the invitation and had wanted to send his Prime Minster.

However, a delegation headed by speaker of the Libyan People’s Congress, Mohammad Zawi, instead arrived in Addis Ababa, according to Libyan diplomats in Addis Ababa.

It is not clear yet whether the TNC has sent any representatives.   

The action of the AU is strictly political, which is undertaking dialogue between the Libyan parties to address the root causes of the crisis, Jean Ping said while opening the meeting.

This should lead to holding of elections to put in place democratic institutions in Libya.

“We are convinced that there is enough base to reach a consensus and find a durable solution in Libya,” he said.

The AU previously opposed any foreign intervention in the Libyan crisis. It is not clear whether that position has changed; but Ping has not mentioned any criticism of the bombings of Libya by the US, UK, France and a number of other western countries.

The Libyan government said that the nearly week-long raining of bombs and missiles into its territories from jets and ships of Western powers had claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians.     

According to Ping, the AU is pushing for political reforms in Libya through dialogue.

The adoption of United Nations resolutions 1970 and 1973 and recent military action by the western coalition to establish a no-fly zone over Libyan territory is a “different approach”, according to Ping, who denounced the military intervention in Libya.

Representatives of the Libyan government and opposition are among the ad hoc committee meeting in Addis Ababa Friday.

The group, that also includes South African President Jacob Zuma, expects to develop a so-called 'road map' to encourage rapid political reform in the North African country.

Ping called the aspirations of the Libyan people “legitimate”.

According to the AU Chair, all parties involved in the Libyan crisis should be heard and a fast solution, including a transitional government leading to democratic elections, has to be presented.

Meanwhile, Ping has called upon all parties involved in the conflict to immediately end hostilities, allow humanitarian workers to provide aid and protect all foreign nationals residing in Libya.

Pana 26/03/2011